Most homeowners have the luxury of chucking their plastic containers into a recycling container and having them whisked away each week by the garbage truck.

If they kept them around, they would probably be shocked at how quickly the pile would grow.

But farmers have really large plastic containers that aren't easy to deal with.

Bill Graves is executive director of Green Planet Plastics, a program that allows farmers to drop off their agricultural containers about twice a year at the Neal Road Waste and Recycling Facility.

From 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Feb. 5, growers are expected to arrive with trucks filled with containers. A plastics chipper will be on hand to grind the containers into bits. These are then loaded into 2,000-pound sacks, taken later for recycling into plastic pipes and fencing material.

Word has spread since the first drop-off day, Graves said, and producers in the area have gotten into the habit of saving up the containers for the special collection events.

This year, for the first time, they'll also accept some plastic material used in the nursery business, such as drip tubing, nursery pots, plastic strawberry mesh and the black plastic trays used to transport plants.

The recycling event cannot accept PVC, he explained, because there are not systems set up to re-use that material.

If people have nursery materials, these should be separated from the chemical containers. If in doubt, call Graves for details at 228-3337.

Each event has been gathering more material, Graves said. Since 2009 there have been at least two events a year. The last one brought in about 17,000 pounds of plastic from about 60 growers, who drive from all over the valley.

Plastic delivery can include containers up to 55 gallons. The tops and labels should be removed, and the containers rinsed three times. The portion of the label that is glued and hard to remove will be tolerated.

Farmers should cut 30-gallon drums in half (lengthwise) and 55-gallon containers into quarters. Larger totes aren't allowed, even if they are cut.

Getting this all together doesn't happen easily. This year help will include workers from the Work Training Center, and help through the Agricultural Commissioner's Office. The program is paid for through sponsorships, including large chemical manufacturers and the Ag Container Recycling Council.